Seriously? OMG! WTF?

Harrah's executive Jan Jones was on the telephone Tuesday, clarifying what appeared to be a violation of one of Las Vegas' golden rules: Thou shalt not divulge confidential customer information. In an interview with The Observer, one of London's most prestigious daily newspapers, Jones is quoted as saying Celine Dion's husband and manager, Rene Angelil, "probably gambles $1 million a week." Her remark, she said from Washington, D.C., was a misrepresentation. "All I was doing was tying it into what was said by a (pathological gambling) treatment professional," said Jones, senior vice president of communications and government relations for Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. In that role, she oversees government relations, corporate communications and community relations for the company. Jones acknowledges she mentioned Angelil in an interview with a reporter, "But it was not my comment directly. Shame on me. I should have been thinking." The original reference to Angelil, she said, was made by a Canadian scientist at a forum she attended last week. The scientist is involved in treating pathological gamblers. She added, "I would have no idea what he (Angelil) gambles." According to The Observer, the reporter asked Jones, "Aren't these studies funded by the gambling industry?" "Some are and many aren't," she replied. "The problem with problem gambling is not about how much you gamble. It really isn't. It's about gambling what you can afford. That's a very difficult determination. Celine Dion's husband is a big gambler. He probably gambles $1m a week. But he can afford to."

Norm Clarke (story) and Luxe Life (photo) 

I wish I could afford to gamble $1 million a week like him. And you know that reporter was asked to say she was not referring to him?

All the pieces of the post-Celine Dion era at Caesars Palace are falling into place: Cher’s deal is done, and Bette is set. Cher will move into the 4,000-seat Colosseum in the spring of 2008, and Bette Midler will follow in the fall, I hear. Dion ends her 41/2-year run, an unequaled local success, in December 2007. Depending on which reports you believe, she either plans to launch a two-year world tour or will try to have a second child through in vitro fertilization.

Norm Clarke 

How cool would it be if the two of them did it together?

Celine Dion has canceled the next five performances of her Las Vegas show, as well as an appearance at the Billboard Music Awards next week, because of a highly contagious respiratory infection, show producers said Wednesday. The 38-year-old Grammy award-winning singer is being treated for Mycoplasma bronchitis, a contagious bacterial infection, and has been ordered to rest during her recovery, producers said. Performances of A New Day at Caesars Palace, a revue created by former Cirque du Soleil artistic director Franco Dragone, were canceled from Wednesday through Sunday, after which Dion was scheduled to take a holiday break from the five-show-a-week regimen. The show will not resume until Dec. 28. Dion also backed out of a scheduled appearance at the Billboard Music Awards on Monday in Las Vegas. Kris Lingle, A New Day spokeswoman, said ticket-holders would receive refunds or could book other show dates. Dion last canceled performances in April, days ahead of her 500th show at the Las Vegas Strip hotel-casino. The singer began a three-year, $100 million contract at Caesars in March 2003, then extended it through next year.

USA Today

Not judging her, but isn’t it ironic she gets sick right before her holiday vacation? 

In last night’s two-hour finale of So You Think You Can Dance – which featured performances by Ciara and Fergie — swing dancer Benji Schwimmer, 22, was crowned America’s favorite dancer. He takes home $100,000 cash, a hybrid SUV, and a contract with Celine Dion’s show in Las Vegas. And though Dion made an appearance at the end of the show, congratulating the hoofer via video satellite, in an interview with Us last week, Benji said that he’s considering passing the offer on to one of his cast mates, so he can concentrate on breaking into acting. 
 
Us: What will you do with the money if you win?
B: Give some to church, give some to my charity and spend a little bit and invest the rest. I have a charity called DEMAND which stands for Dancers Everywhere Making A Needed Difference and we work with underprivileged children in Mexico and we also help other dancers out in the community who may have injured themselves and can’t support themselves we get them back on their feet.
 
Us: So would you take the Celine Dion job?
B: (sings) “My heart will go oooonnnnn…” I think more than anything, if I was to have that offer, I would give it to one of these 2 [cast mates] here and let them take it because they are the dancers fit to do that. We didn’t even know about the Celine Dion contract until we actually made the show so that was never my goal to receive a contract, my goal was to be on the show for the exposure, to be challenged as a dancer.
 
Us: You guys haven’t heard from any celebrities about how they love the show have you?
B: Tyce — that’s my choreographer – he is friends with Tobey Maguire and said that Tobey is a huge fan of the show and wants to do a dance movie. I couldn’t believe it. So I asked Tyce again and once again he’s like no I talked to him he’s dead serious…
 
Us:How would you feel about doing a movie?
B: I definitely want to get into acting. That’s without a doubt. I want to get into television and movies. When I was younger, I was doing a lot of commercials and I was on Full House.
 
Us: You were on Full House?
B: Reluctantly. I was 5 years old.
 
Us: How is a 5 year old reluctant?
B: I am reluctant now because when I did it they dubbed my voice over, there was bad sound or something and some Chinese lady dubbed over my voice…it was stupid.

Us Weekly 

I would rather him go to Broadway and Travis Wall go to Celine!

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